


You Can't Keep Your Secrets Forever

by Chloe_Hallow_Eve



Series: Black Paladin Lance [9]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Black Paladin Lance (Voltron), Games, Langst, Post-Season/Series 02 (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-17 00:34:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10582728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chloe_Hallow_Eve/pseuds/Chloe_Hallow_Eve
Summary: Lance and the team go through some 'Relaxed Paladin Bonding'.Alternatively Titled: Tell your damn friends your problemsSet after The Centre Of A Hurricane





	

Lance fiddled with his jacket sleeve as he waited for the others to come. He had planned out the first day of ‘Relaxed Paladin Bonding’. Actually, he’d planned out the next few weeks. Several times. He’d even written his plans out, and was going to rearrange things after he saw how today would go. Maybe Lance was overthinking things, but he really wanted this to go well. If they all managed to get this right, then maybe…

 

Allura was the first to enter the common room. Her eyes scanned the space, spotted Lance, then made her way over. “The others aren’t here yet?” She asked as she sat beside him. 

 

Lance shook his head. 

 

“Will you not use the comms?”

 

“I want to see how seriously everyone’s taking this.”

 

Allura nodded, and they fell silent. A few ticks later, Coran and Hunk came in. They scanned the room, much like Allura had, before moving further. Hunk sat on his other side on the middle couch, while Coran took his place on the wall behind them. He had stated when they discussed ‘Relaxed Paladin Bonding’ that he wanted to observe and possibly assist if necessary. It made Lance smile. 

 

“Hey, buddy.” Lance held his hand out for a fist bump, even know they saw each other only a while ago at breakfast. 

 

“Sup, man.” Hunk returned the fist bump, nervous energy radiating off of him. 

 

Lance examined him closely. It didn’t look like it was a bad nervous, Hunk wasn’t pale or shaking, but his leg was bouncing with no end in sight. Lance watched it and slowly placed his hand on it. Hunk’s eyes darted to his hand then to his eyes, and Lance grinned at him. 

 

“Calm down, Hunk. I’m not going to make any of you do anything too hard, alright? Baby steps.”

 

Hunk released a breath, placing a hand over his, smiling back. “I know, I know, but I can’t help it. New things, you know?”

 

Lance nodded, using his other hand to pat Hunks’ larger one. He knew of his best friends anxiety well. He hadn’t had an attack in a long time, something Lance was proud of him for, but Lance wasn’t sure if that meant he was getting better or getting better at  _ suppressing _ . 

 

Keith entered next, slinking over to the couch to Lance’s left. He threw himself into the far corner, then swung his feet up. Lance couldn’t help feel a little jealous of how graceful he was, even when flopping around. 

 

“Keith, don’t be rude. Get your feet off of the couch.” Lance scolded. 

 

Keith gave him a withering glare, allowing Lance a good view of the bags under his eyes. “Shut up and let me have this.”

 

Lance narrowed his eyes. Keith kept glaring. Lance sighed. “At least take your shoes off.”

 

Keith grumbled, but lifted his feet off the couch long enough to kick his shoes to the ground. Lance immediately brightened, going back to focusing on patting Hunk’s hand. Keith rolled his eyes. 

 

Pidge arrived not long after, laptop in hand, typing furiously with the other. They walked slowly to the couch opposite of Keith and sat down, never taking their eyes off of the screen. Lance watched them work for a few ticks. 

 

“Anytime you’re ready, Pidge.” He drawled. 

 

Pidge stuck their tongue out, not even bothering to aim it in his direction, before finishing whatever piece of code they were going through and closing the computer. “Thanks for waiting, Lance.” They flashed a sarcastic smile at him. 

 

“You better be grateful.” Lance grumbled before standing and addressing the room. “Alright, everybody, you probably expect ‘Relaxed Paladin Bonding’ to be easy and more like a children's daycare than anything serious. And you are absolutely correct.” Lance grinned at the noises of protest. “But think about it for a minute. Usually, when your teacher makes you do these things, you get more comfortable with the people you don't talk to. That isn't really the purpose here, since there's only sev- six of us,” Lance tried to smooth over his mistake, but Keith and Hunk still winced, “but it has the same basic bonding purpose.”

 

“Okay, but are we seriously going to play games?” Pidge scowled. 

 

“Yes.”

 

“What, are we going to play leap frog or something?” Keith snorted. When Lance turned on him with a devious grin, Keith shrunk into the couch further. “You can't be serious.”

 

“You wanna get ahead?”

 

“Lance stop quoting Hamilton for five minutes.” Hunk held his hands out to him. “Just, five minutes, man. And please tell me you didn't actually plan for us to play leap frog.”

 

Lance said nothing, grin still in place. Hunk sighed, head falling into his hands. Pidge started cackling. Lance wondered if they got any sleep in the last few days. 

 

“What is ‘leap frog’?” Allura questioned, looking from one paladin to the next. 

 

Coran trotted a bit closer. “Yes, I had been wondering that as well.”

 

Lance looked at Pidge with a raised eyebrow. Seeming to understand him, Pidge slid off the couch, placed their laptop where they had been, and joined him in the centre of the room. 

 

“Leap frog is a children's game, generally played with those between the ages of five and ten.” Pidge started, adjusting their glasses. “It's where one person crouches down, like a frog, and the other jumps over them. Once they have, the person at the back then jumps, and so on. Like so.”

 

Lance took his cue to crouch on the ground, touching his chin to his chest. Pidge planted their hands in his shoulders and used them as leverage to hop over him. Pidge curled into a ball in front of him after, and Lance stepped over them. 

 

“I can't believe we’re actually going this.” Keith mumbled. 

 

Allura raised a brow. “That seems… oddly simple.” 

 

“It is.” Lance responded. “And that's the point. It's not supposed to be a test of skill, just friends having fun.”

 

Coran hummed, twirling his moustache. “I believe it's a splendid idea!”

 

Hunk chuckled. “You would.” He stood, walking to his best friend. “Alright, Lance. Let's play leap frog.”

 

Forty minutes later, the common room was filled with either shouting or laughing. Lance was, for once, the only one staying silent. It might have to do with the fact that his face was pressed into the floor, due to going into a pancake split to save himself. Pidge, somewhere behind him, was trying to breathe past their laughter. Hunk was apologizing profusely, having tripped and almost crushed him when jumping over him. The shouting was courtesy of Keith. Allura was beside him, trying to replicate Lances position. 

 

“How? How can you do that?! What even is your body made of?!” 

 

“Shattered dreams and stretched beliefs.” Lance mumbled. 

 

Allura, forearms planted on the ground, almost in the splits, blinked in wonder. “How often must you train your body to be able to bend like that?”

 

“He does it every day.” Hunk mentioned quickly before going back to apologizing. 

 

Lance dragged his face up, resting his chin on the floor. “I need help. I've fallen and I can't get up.”

 

Pidge screeched. Lance was somehow crazy enough to enjoy the sound. Hunk sighed, picking him up from under his arms. 

 

“Stop using outdated memes, the Alteans might pick them up as a part of important Earth culture.”

 

“How dare you! Memes are very important!”

 

“We are done here.” Hunk let go and started walking out. “I need to start making dinner. Please restrain your memes in the meantime.”

 

“No promises!” Lance shouted, grinning. This went better than expected. Lance was actually getting excited about these sessions. If everyone was this inclusive, then next time would be fun as well. 

 

* * *

“Okay, just because you're a noodle, doesn't mean everyone else is too.” 

 

Lance grinned at Keith from his make-shift twister mat. “Coran helped me set it up.”

 

“Of course he did.”

 

“The wheel is digital.”

 

“It sure is.”

 

“I am ready to watch you fail.”

 

Keith rubbed his face, sighing. Pidge walked in, saw the mat, then turned back around. Keith’s hand snatched the back of their jacket and dragged them back. “If I'm suffering this stupidity, so are you.”

 

Pidge groaned. 

 

Allura, sitting primly behind Lance, smiled. Lance had already explained the game to her. “I think it sounds like fun! It tests your endurance and flexibility, while giving you a good natured competition.”

 

“Most children's games take a lot of stamina.” Hunk agreed, stepping into the room while cleaning oil off of his arms. “Coran will be making some changes to the castles systems while we’re doing this, so he said not to panic if anything went weird.”

 

Lance finger gunned him in acknowledgement. “Okay, everyone’s here! Rock paper scissors for who gets to spin the wheel first?”

 

Lance won most of the games. Allura won a few others. Hunk won a couple. Pidge was too small to stretch their body out, and Keith was not flexible. Pidge generally hogged the wheel, cackling at the rest of them. Keith, the cheater, was the only reason Lance lost any games. Whenever he went down, he’d swipe out an arm or a leg, trying to take out whoever was closest. Lance was usually the closest. 

 

“That round doesn’t count! Keith messed me up!”

 

“You say that every time, Lance.” Hunk grunted from his backbend. “It’s not any less a bad excuse.”

 

“Left foot, green.” Pidge called for Allura, who pulled in that foot to crouch under Hunk like Spiderman. 

 

“Nope, it’s Keith’s fault. I wouldn’t lose unless Keith did something.” He glared at the paladin in question. 

 

“Maybe you just don’t have balance.” Keith shot back. 

 

“Excuse you!” Lance strode across the room in large steps, poking Keith’s chest with a finger and got in his face. “I’ve been in gymnastics, dance, and figure skating. Don’t you dare question my balancing skills!”

 

Keith blinked, face twitching oddly and dusting pink. He was silent for a few ticks. “Why and when were you in all three?”

 

It was Lance’s turn to blink. “Oh, back home, before I joined the Garrison. I was also in the swim team.”

 

“Why?”

 

Lance shrugged. “Swim team was my choice, but generally if my older siblings decided to join something, I was most likely dragged along. It usually ended in me enjoying the activity more than them.”

 

Keith released a small ‘huh’, and Lance felt the breath on his face. Oh, wow, he had gotten  _ really close.  _ Maybe he should step back. That was probably what someone did in this situation. 

 

_ Or you could lean forwards,  _ a voice in the back of his head murmured. 

 

There was a yelp then a thud to Lance’s right, startling him into stepping away from Keith and looking towards the source. Hunk was sprawled out on the mat, Allura draped over his chest, both giggling. Lance couldn't help the fond grin that crept across his mouth. 

 

“You two alright?” He called. 

 

Allura managed to stand, still looking regal, before helping Hunk up. “Yes, we are fine.”

 

Lance chuckled, making his way over to Pidge on the couch. “Alright Pidge, time to give it another whirl.”

 

Pidge hugged the wheel to their chest, glaring at him. “No. I have claimed the wheel. I am  _ not  _ playing again.”

 

Before Lance had the chance to reply, the lights flickered and went out. 

 

Pidge slowly stopped clutching the wheel, allowing its digital light to cover the room. “... Guess I don't have to go now.”

 

Lance sighed, snapping back into leader mode. “I'll see what's happening.” He made his way over to the coms, pushing the button and leaning towards the speaker. “Hey, Coran, what's happening man?”

 

There was a moment of silence, then static, then a reply. “Not to worry! I just accidentally stopped power from going to the lights in the process of trying to upgrade our defenses. It should be back up soon!”

 

“Right. Thanks, Coran.”

 

“Anytime, my boy!”

 

Lance turned to the others. “Doesn't seem to be anything serious, just the lights. At any rate, we can't really play like this. We’ll end early.”

 

“Oh thank god.” Pidge breathed. 

 

Lance chuckled. “Allura, do you have flashlights or something?”

 

Allura raised an eyebrow. “Well, we have hover lamps.”

 

“Perfect!” Lance grinned. “Everyone, our job now is to set up the lamps. While the lights are out, the training bot isn’t allowed to be used. Maybe you’ll finally focus on stretches. Hunk, I’ll help you with lunch today. It’ll be safer.”

 

As they all followed Allura, Lance sighed. He’d have to change the activities if this kept up. 

 

* * *

Two days later, the lights were still not working. Lance played with the sleeve of his jacket, Pidge and him waiting for the others. They came in, one after another, not too far apart, and sat down quickly. They all stared at Lance, sitting on the middle couch. 

 

“Okay.” Lance clapped. “Since I don’t trust us to do anything in the dark besides hide and seek, we’re gonna play two truths one lie, would you rather, concentration, last letter, those kind of verbal games. Really, we’re going to try to get through as many as we can in one hour.” There was a murmured, if not amused, agreement. Lance slid onto the floor. “It’ll probably be best if we sit in a circle. Y’know, like summer camp.”

 

Keith and Pidge made a point of being as loud and floppy as possible (yet Keith was somehow still graceful) while Hunk and Allura did so without complaint. Lance reached over and nudged one of the hover lamps into the centre, just above their heads. 

 

“Can we do Alphabet?” Hunk asked, leaning forwards. “I remember that being a tricky one in drama class.”

 

“Later, bud. We should start off easy to get into the swing of things. Would you rather is probably a good starting point.” 

 

Hunk sighed, but sat back with a nod. 

 

“Can I ask first?” Pidge raised a tentative hand. 

 

“Go for it!”

 

Keith coughed. “Shouldn’t we explain it to the princess first?”

 

“She can pick up on it quickly.” Pidge dismissed. “Would you rather: Be locked in a room with Slav, or Sendak?”

 

“Sendak,” Keith said the same time Lance said “Slav.”

 

They looked at each other with wide, bewildered eyes. 

 

Hunk jumped in before they could start arguing. “Slav.”

 

Allura’s face twisted, and she took the longest to answer. “Sendak.”

 

“Your turn.” Pidge nudged Keith, to their left, who broke eye contact with Lance to frown at the ground in thought. 

 

“Uh… Would you rather: be tested by the Blade or go through the first day of paladin training again?”

 

“Oh god.” Lance breathed, staring at the ground. 

 

Hunk tugged at his headband. “Dude, if you're comparing the two, and you're the only one who went through the Blade’s test, then I don't think I can choose.” 

 

“I'll go Blade.” Pidge shrugged. “New experience, might be able to figure it out quickly. Doesn't last all day.”

 

“Personally, I'll take the paladin training. No fear of death.” Allura gave Pidge a pointed look. 

 

Pidge shrugged again. “I'll take my chances.”

 

Lance put his chin in his hands, still staring at the ground. “ _ Oh god. _ ” 

 

“Wait, paladin training might be better.” Hunk pondered. “We kind of grew closer as a team, and the food fight was fun.”

 

Lance nodded slowly. “Okay, yeah, if I focus on that, then paladin training doesn't seem so bad. Let's go with that.”

 

“Your turn Allura.” Pidge informed. 

 

Allura hummed. She tapped her chin, eyes roaming the room. “Would you rather: sit through a diplomatic meeting, or be in a Galran prison?”

 

Lance answered ‘meeting’ the same time Keith answered ‘prison’. They gave each other the same wide eyed looks as previous. This time, no one interrupted their argument. 

 

“If you're in prison you did something to help-”

 

“You can do more from behind the scenes-”

 

“Like what be a coward-”

 

“Like plan out the missions that prevent capture-”

 

“Does that logic apply to Slav as well?”

 

“Slav isn't bad! He's kinda cool! Sendak tried to kill us and almost succeeded!”

 

“Slav never shuts up!” Keith paused, then smirked. “Well, I guess since you have something in common, you get along well.”

 

Lance gaped. Oh, he did  _ not just _ . 

 

Pidge cackled. “Savage.”

 

“Lances turn!” Hunk squeaked. 

 

Lance snapped his mouth closed. Well, if Keith was getting personal,  _ then he'd get personal.  _ “Would you rather: Fight with a knife or a sword?”

 

Keith's face spasmed. Lance smirked back, fingers drumming together. Keith placed a hand on his knife then his bayard, looking extremely torn. 

 

“Jesus.” Hunk breathed, his face in a hand. “I say knife. Easier to cook with.”

 

“Knife.” Pidge agreed. “Quicker and more concealable.”

 

“I prefer swords. They represent great warriors of stature, and there are many kinds to choose from that use strength or agility.” Allura watched Keith's face with a small smile. 

 

Keith, his weapons now in front of him, scowled. He glanced from one to the other, jaw jumping. He eventually looked up, eyes pleading. 

 

“This is just cruel.” Hunk sighed. “We’re skipping Keith's answer until he can think of one.”

 

“What? No!” Lance whined. 

 

“No, it's my turn.” Hunk crossed his arms. Lance didn't argue further. “Would you rather: Step on a nail or pull out a tooth?”

 

“Hunk, what the hell,  you’re supposed to be the pure one.” Pidge looked at Lance. “I feel like this game needs to end.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. We’re done with would you rather.” Lance waved his hands about, ignoring the protests. “Hunk goes first for the next game.”

 

* * *

Lance stared down at his hands, eyes scanning all the little nicks and cuts and scars he had gained. Despite his beauty routine, his palms were calloused and caught on most materials. He’d managed to keep his fingernails clean and healthy, though, despite their length. He started counting the injuries, trying to calm himself down. 

 

One, two, three, everything would be fine. Four, five, they had been coming to these training meetings for months now. Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, it was time to address this. Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen,  _ quince,  _ this is what he had been building up to.  _ Diecisies, diecisiete,  _ don’t throw up your mask, there’s no need today.  _ Dieciocho-  _

 

Everyone piled into the room. They walked slowly, cautiously, approaching the same way they would an injured animal. They sat, and the room bathed in silence for a while. Lance took a deep breath, and finally looked up at his team. He was sure they could see the deep bags under his eyes, how his skin was paler than normal, that he looked almost sick. Keith, right beside him, confirmed this when he winced. 

 

“So, I’m pretty sure you’ve noticed, but this is going to be a more somber training session.” Lance took another breath. “I’ve noticed, lately, that we’ve all been… falling behind, I guess, in the mental health department. And none of us, myself included, have really done anything to try making ourselves better.” Lance looked back down at his hands. “So I decided to, y’know, call you in. Do a kind of group therapy session. Because we’ve been fighting together for almost a year, and we’ve never really connected as people. It’s gotten better, but we’re still…” Lance cleared his throat. “So yeah. We’ll be doing that.”

 

There was silence for a few moments. 

 

“Do you expect us to go around, stating our problems?” 

 

Lance wasn’t surprised that it was Pidge’s angry voice that replied first from the couch to his left.

 

“Do you expect us to just stand up and say, ‘Hi, I’m Pidge, the green paladin, and I have problems?’ Do you think we’ll just do it when you haven’t said anything about your own problems?” 

 

Keith’s hands clenched into fists beside him. “Why are you-”

 

Lance raised a hand, stopping Keith’s words in their tracks. “You’re right. I guess I am being a little unfair. I’ll go first, then, does that sound fair?”

 

After a moment, Pidge nodded stiffly. Hunk, beside them, placed a hand on their back. Keith placed his own comforting hand on his knee. Lance sat up, gathering his courage, before smiling the best he could. 

 

“I don’t really know how to start saying these things, or ease into them, so I guess I’ll just be blunt about it.” Lance laughed breathily, letting it trickle out. His smile wavered. “I have insomnia due to paranoia and nightmares, first and foremost. This started when I became the leader. All that pressure just… takes a lot out of you, y’know?” He let the smile fade. “I don’t really like myself, sometimes, either. Like, I don’t hate myself, it’s just I think bad things about myself sometimes. I get really homesick and lonely here and there, would probably sacrifice myself if I found all other options to be dumb, and don’t really believe I’m fit to be a paladin.” He placed his hand over Keith’s and squeezed lightly. Keith turned his hand over and linked their fingers together, rubbing his thumb over the back of Lance’s hand. “So, that’s what’s wrong with me. I miss Earth and have self esteem issues.”

 

Another batch of silence stretched over the group, and Lance focused on breathing to the time of Keith’s strokes. He leaned a bit into Keith’s side, and Keith leaned back. Lance was surprised when Allura was the next to speak. 

 

“Thank you for sharing that, Lance.” Her voice was the softest he’d ever heard it. “I understand that must have been difficult.” Her eyes were understanding, yet sad. She smiled softly. “In honour of your bravery, I will follow your lead.” 

 

“Princess, are you sure?” Coran, beside her, murmured gently. 

 

Allura nodded, then began. “I find myself unable to sleep due to paranoia as well, and have to admit I am quite addicted to working. I push away any grief or pain that may arise due to Altea being gone, and do not deal with my emotions properly. I will place blame on myself and rush into dangerous situations without thinking. I do not wish to be princess, due to the constraints that were on me ten thousand years ago, but I will shoulder my responsibility. I feel any burden I have is my own and will not allow anyone else to help carry it. I suppose I am not quite good at dealing with my emotions in general.” Allura recited her issues as if it were a monologue she had memorized, distancing herself. Lance suspected her grip on Coran’s hand was the only thing keeping her with them in that moment. 

 

Another silence washed over them, all of them processing. Lance suspected that it would happen a lot today. Hunk looked at him, eyes unsure, and Lance gave an encouraging smile. Hunk took a breath, nodded, then turned to all of them. 

 

“I have anxiety.” He blurted, and everyone looked at him. He immediately started to shrink, but continued. “I, uh, I overthink things, work myself up, then usually have an anxiety attack. I haven’t been having them much recently, but when I do, I kind of, bottle it up? Like, I want to get help, but there’s a little voice in my head saying that it’d make me weak. And I understand that that’s not the case, at all, but I start to overthink it and suddenly I’m not going to anyone.” He tugged at his bandana, his breathing controlled. “I really, really miss Earth. Like, a lot. But I found a purpose to fight out here, and that has kept me motivated so far. And I was also pretty weight conscious, until I realized that everyone’s built differently and I accepted it and started liking my body. But when I get anxious or sad, it kind of sneaks up on me, and I don’t really eat. And cooking gets harder. And it’s just a bad time in general.”

 

Lance reached over, hand in a fist. Hunk’s mouth twitched upwards, and he returned the fist bump. They stayed like that for a moment, grinning proudly at each other, before they settled back into their spots. Hunk nudged Pidge, who hunched over. 

 

“Yeah, fine, I’ll take a stab at it.” They sighed. “So, my dad and brother are missing in the mass void of space, probably with some rebels, I’m not sure. I just want to bring them home. My mom’s on Earth, and that’s all I really miss of the planet. Shiro’s gone, and he was like a father figure, and I’m kind of tired of family just disappearing all the time. If any of you disappear I will find you and kick your ass to the next decafebe.” Pidge gave them half hearted glares. “I’ve also been juggling with this thing called ‘gender identity’, because sometimes I think I’ve made a decision on what gender I want to settle with, and then the next day I’m like ‘wait no I was wrong damn it’. And I know I don’t have to decide, but it would make things easier. Though, they them pronouns seems to be working for the most part, so.” They paused, then huffed. “Also, my birth name isn't actually Pidge Gunderson. I changed that so I could get into the Garrison. Long story, but it's actually Katelin Holt. Everyone just called me Katie. And, like, very,  _ very  _ rarely, I kind of want to be called that again.” 

 

Hunk pulled Pidge into a loose side hug. Pidge leaned into it, the remaining tension in their body draining. Hunk rubbed their arm and tucked their head under his chin. They glared at everyone, an obvious ‘next one’ gesture for them. 

 

Keith shifted, then shrugged. “My parents left when I was little, and I don’t really know how to have a family. Shiro was kind of the closest thing I had for a long time, then he disappeared, then I found him, and now he’s gone again. So, combine that with the fact that I have no idea how emotions are supposed to work, I’m kind of. Not great.” He looked uncomfortable. “And that’s about it. I, uh, I’m not sure if I need to say anything else. Cause, that’s pretty much all of my problems.”

 

Lance pressed his lips thin, trying not to laugh. Hunk and Allura did the same. Pidge turned their face into Hunk’s chest. Coran didn’t try to disguise his chuckle. Really, what were they expecting of Keith? 

 

Keith saw this and scowled, taking his hands away from Lance and seeming to shrink into himself. Lance lurched forward. “Hey, no, we’re not laughing at you! Okay, we kind of are, but you’re just so cute. Get back here so I can comfort you and show you it’s okay to be vulnerable around us.”

 

Keith turned red, almost matching the pink in Lance’s own cheeks when he realized he just called Keith ‘cute’, but the red paladin scooted back to his previous spot pressed against Lance. Hunk and Pidge made eye contact, then rolled their eyes. Lance scooped him up in a hug, rocking them gently. Keith snorted. 

 

“This is weird. You’re being weird.”

 

“No, I’m being comforting. Now shut up and be comforted. And listen to Coran, cause the beautiful man still needs to go.”

 

Coran smiled at Lance, and Lance returned it. Allura squeezed Coran’s hand gently, and the ginger man took a breath. “Back on Altea, I…… I had a family, much similar to Allura. And I miss them dearly. And much like the princess, I take to grieving alone. I realize it might not be healthy, but I prefer it that way. Although I should find assistance afterwards, when I am not feeling much like myself. I tend to ignore my own needs in favour of making sure you all are safe and sound, which is also an unhealthy practice I am taking steps to remedy. And, at the moment, I believe it would be beneficial to us all if I was able to assist in some regard.”

 

Everyone was quiet for a moment, as was customary at this point. Lance looked over at Hunk, who seemed to be deep in thought. After a moment, he looked to Coran and grinned. 

 

How about you assist me in pushing two of the couches together and making a big bed thing, then help me cuddle the hell out of everyone?”

 

“I like this plan! This is a good plan!” Lance raised a hand. 

 

Keith looked doubtful. “I’m not really one for cuddling.”

 

“Too bad!” Lance rocked him a bit more. “It’s happening.”

 

Coran laughed, and nodded. “I think that sounds like a splendid idea.”

 

A couple minutes later, Lance was laying with his back to Pidge’s back, nuzzled tightly against Keith’s chest. He smiled, resting his head against Allura’s side as she rested above them, and deemed he’d protect them all from anything. He’d give up anything to make sure they were all safe and sound. He’s fight anything to make sure they didn’t get hurt. He’d die to make sure they didn’t. 

  
The fact that he was willing to go so far for his team scared him, but also comforted him. Because he was sure that at least one of them would do the same for him. 

**Author's Note:**

> 95 people have bookmarked this series, and hundreds of more have read this, and I cannot thank you all enough for taking the time to read this. It means the world to me!
> 
> I was looking through the people who bookmarked the series, and I just. The people who put additional tags or gave this series a description. I have never felt such joy. A couple of my favourites: "The one where I feel like the doctor and lance appreciation is my aesthetic." "closest thing ill get to season 3." And then that one person who bookmarked this at the beginning and seemed to try to put them in order. You people make my day so much greater. 
> 
> This is my longest post yet, I worked on it every day morning, in class, and evening, and I hope it's okay. 
> 
> Once more, thank you all for your support, it means a lot. I love you all, stay awesome, and I will see you in the next post. See ya~!!!


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